Review of information on the safety effects of the 55 mph speed limits in the U.S.

The first major section of the report deals with the background and events leading to the 55 mph speed limit and describes the gross changes observed in the highway safety situation in the usa. How speed limits are determined, and their effects upon accident frequency and severity are discussed. A critical review is presented of some of the more significant studies and analyses of the effects of the us speed limit during 1974-76. The final section contains general conclusions and recommendations for data collection.